As mentioned in the last post (Part 3 in this series) people too often think of depression as merely being a collection of sad thoughts and feelings. But it’s actually a complicated system of forces, all working together to generate an overwhelming sense of futility.

Underestimating depression can be a lethal mistake. This is particularly true for those on the autism spectrum since, as described in this recent post (Part 2), depression can hide behind autistic traits.

Here is a Depression infographic created by artist Nick Steimling, based on the last post. It breaks down the various interlocking components of depression and hopelessness. (Part 1 features a discussion with a psychologist on the topic of depression; Part 4 looks at the role sensory issues can play.)

You can find more Invisible Strings on Twitter and Facebook. For some reason. Still trying to figure that one out. And click here to check out recent videos where I discuss ASD and a variety of topics.